A New Brain
Cast *Malcolm Gets - Gordon Michael Schwinn *Chip Zien - Mr. Bungee *Penny Fuller - Mimi Schwinn *Liz Larsen - Rhoda *Christopher Innvar - Roger Delli-Bovi *Michael Mandell - Richard *Mary Testa - Lisa *Kristin Chenoweth - Waitress/Nancy D. *John Jellison - Dr. Jafar Berensteiner *Keith Byron Kirk - Minister Plot Lisa, a homeless woman, asks the audience for some change. Songwriter Gordon Schwinn works at his piano to meet a deadline, irritated because he must write a song about spring for children's television host Mr. Bungee, who dresses as a frog. Gordon takes a break from writing The Spring Song to meet his best friend Rhoda at a restaurant, where the waitress, who is a fan of Mr. Bungee, informs Gordon and Rhoda of the specials at the restaurant, including calamari. During lunch, he clutches his head and falls face first into his meal. Rhoda calls an ambulance and Gordon is taken to the hospital. Gordon's greatest fear is dying with his greatest songs still inside him, to which he ponders about what makes a song. Gordon's mother, Mimi, arrives and insists that his mother's going to make things fine. A neurosurgeon, Dr. Jafar Berensteiner, explains that there's trouble in His brain and that an MRI is necessary. Gordon snaps at Mimi for underestimating his condition and not listening to the Doctor, to which a hallucination of Mr. Bungee appears, telling Gordon to be polite to everyone, and Gordon tells it to leave. Gordon daydreams about his boyfriend Roger, who is on his way to the hospital from a sailing trip. The nurses, sadistic Nancy D. and compassionate Richard, are introduced. Nancy D. requests a family history, prompting Gordon to ponder why he only inherited the bad traits from his parents. He reflects on his father's abandonment. Roger arrives and spends some time with Gordon, who tells him to "just go". Richard enters to give Gordon a sponge bath in preparation for his MRI Tomorrow. During the sponge bath, Richard complains that he is poor, unsuccessful and fat. Gordon hallucinates and sees Mr. Bungee who continually bullies him. Gordon is visited by a minister, who tries to impose his Protestant beliefs on Gordon, who is Jewish. Gordon asks him to leave, and goes to sleep. Gordon is woken by Nancy, who informs him that it’s MRI Day. To cope with his claustrophobia, he thinks about a past sailing trip with Roger. Dr. Berensteiner tells Gordon that he has an arteriovenous malformation, and needs a craniotomy. Nancy D. informs him of the risks - if he doesn't go through with the operation, he could die, however, if Dr. Berensteiner is not exact with his surgery, he could also die. Gordon, given the choice by the Doctor, decides to go through with the operation, and Roger offers to sleep with Gordon that night. Rhoda arrives with news that Mr. Bungee needs a new song by the next morning, so Gordon declines Roger's offer and decides to write instead. He then hallucinates about Lisa, who he encountered earlier on his way to lunch with Rhoda. Lisa implores the audience for change, both physical money and social change. Gordon presents his new song to Mr. Bungee, who hates it, storming off to leave Gordon dejected. Mimi cleans Gordon's apartment, and in a rage, throws out all of his books. Gordon waits anxiously as his surgery is delayed. Then the operation commences. Roger, distraught about the surgery, encounters Lisa who consoles him. In a coma, Gordon hallucinates a surrealistic mini-opera featuring people from his life concluding with a friendly Mr. Bungee telling Gordon not to give in, leading him back to consciousness. Dr. Berensteiner celebrates the successful surgery. Gordon and Roger fool around in the hospital shower, much to Richard's dismay. Gordon expresses his new appreciation for life. Months later, Gordon has recovered and is enjoying a new, more fulfilled life with Roger. They run into Lisa, who is selling Gordon's books that Mimi threw out. Gordon and Roger ask for them back, but she refuses. She flees, leaving Gordon furious, but Roger calms him down. Gordon has overcome his fear of dying with his greatest songs inside him. With his life at last in balance, he is able to write again and finishes the spring song. Musical numbers *"Frogs Have So Much Spring (The Spring Song)" - Gordon *"Calamari" - Gordon, Rhoda, Waitress and Mr. Bungee *"911 Emergency/I Have So Many Songs" - Richard, Doctor, Rhoda, Minister, Gordon, Lisa and Waitress *"Heart and Music" - Minister, Gordon with All but Mr. Bungee *"Mother’s Gonna Make Things Fine" - Mimi and Gordon *"Trouble in His Brain" - Doctor, Mimi and Rhoda *"Be Polite to Everyone" - Mr Bungee *"Sailing" - Roger and Gordon *"Family History" - Nancy D, Richard and Mimi) *"Gordo's Law of Genetics" - Nancy D, Doctor, Minister, Rhoda, Richard and Lisa *"And They're Off" - Gordon, Nancy D, Doctor, Minister, Rhoda, Richard and Lisa) *"Roger Arrives" Gordon, Roger, Mimi and Rhoda *"Just Go" - Gordon and Roger *"MRI Tomorrow" - Gordon, Roger and Richard *"Poor, Unsuccessful and Fat" - Richard, Gordon, Mr. Bungee and Minister *"MRI Day" - Gordon and Nancy D *"Sitting Becalmed in the Lee of Cuttyhunk" - All but Mr. Bungee *"Craniotomy" - Doctor, Nancy D, Minister, Mimi, Roger and Gordon *"An Invitation to Sleep in My Arms" - Gordon, Roger, Rhoda and Mimi *"Change" - Lisa *"Yes" - Gordon, Mr. Bungee, Nancy D, Doctor, Minister and Rhoda *"In the Middle of the Room" - Gordon and Mimi *"Throw It Out" - Mimi *"In the Middle of the Room" (Part 2) - Gordon *"A Really Lousy Day in the Universe" - Roger and Lisa *"Brain Dead" - Gordon and Roger *"Whenever I Dream" - Rhoda and Gordon *"Eating Myself Up Alive" - Richard, Nancy D, Doctor, Minister and Lisa *"Music Still Plays On" - Mimi *"Don't Give In" - Mr. Bungee, Gordon, Roger, Rhoda and Mimi) *"Craniotomy" (Reprise) - Doctor *"You Boys Are Gonna Get Me in Such Trouble/Sailing" (Reprise) - Richard, Gordon and Roger *"Homeless Lady's Revenge" - Lisa, Gordon and Roger *"Time" - Roger and Gordon *"Time and Music" - Minister and Gordon with All *"I Feel So Much Spring" - Gordon, Lisa and Minister with All Category:Stage musicals